1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of digital content providers. More specifically, the present invention is related to wireless transfer of data content to a portable device or other pre-defined locations.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Data content providers presently push a myriad of data content (such as e-mail, data files, multimedia files, etc.) to various portable devices (such as personal computers, laptops, personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.). Some of the limitations associated with prior art systems in the transfer of such data content include limitations in the size of the data content to be transferred and limitations associated with the transmission rate as defined by the networks over which the data content is to be transferred.
FIG. 1 illustrates a simple prior art scenario 100 wherein one or more data content providers 102, 104, 106 push data content over a network 108 onto a proxy server 110 which, in turn, interacts with a portable device over a narrow bandwidth network 112. Data content providers include various services such as accessing: e-mail, data files, multimedia files, and other miscellaneous information services. Users access such data content via various portable devices, including: wireless phones 114, PDA 116, pagers 118, etc. The narrow bandwidth networks 112 over which the end device and the proxy server interact include broadcast networks, cellular networks, and satellite-based networks. Although some networks such as some satellite-based networks are promoted as wide bandwidth networks, it should be noted that only a portion of the bandwidth associated with such networks is allocated for the purposes of personalized data content transmission, thereby limiting the size of data content that can be transferred in a given time period.
It should be noted that, for simplification purposes, only one network cloud is shown facilitating the interaction between the various content providers and the proxy server (network 108) and between the proxy server and the portable device (network 112), but such interactions can occur over one or more networks.
As mentioned earlier, a customer's access to such data content today is limited by the information content (size) and network speed (rate) by which the information can be delivered to the device. Certain services are typically only one-way, i.e., radio broadcast and satellite services. On the other hand, e-mail and data file delivery, while two-way, is limited to very narrow bandwidths, which restrict the type and quantity of information that can be delivered to the customer's portable device.
Thus, the prior art systems fail to provide for a fast and efficient way to facilitate the interaction between the content providers and the portable devices. Additionally, the prior art fails to disclose a system wherein content providers push data content over a broadband network to information filling stations at various physical locations accessible by portable devices (associated with mobile users) that wirelessly transact, access, and receive data content from the information filling station.
One popular method of implementing a wireless connection is based upon the IEEE 802.11 standard. 802.11 refers to a family of specifications developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for wireless local area network (LAN) technology. 802.11 specifies an over-the-air interface between a wireless client and a base station or between two wireless clients. There are several specifications in the 802.11 family, some of which are described below:                802.11—applies to wireless LANs providing 1 or 2 Mbps transmission in the 2.4 GHz band using either frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) or direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS).        802.11a—an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless local area networks (LANs) and provides up to 54 Mbps in the 5 GHz band. 802.11a uses an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing encoding scheme rather than FHSS or DSSS.        802.11b—also referred to as 802.11 High rate or Wi-Fi (for wireless fidelity), formed as a ratification to the original 802.11 standard, allowing wireless functionality comparable to the Ethernet. This is an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANs and provides 11 Mbps transmission (with fallback to 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps) in the 2.4 GHz band. Transmission in the 802.11b standard is accomplished via DSSS.        802.11g—applies to wireless LANs and provides 20+ Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band.        
The most popular of the above standards is the 802.11b. One problem associated with this standard is that the signal strength fades away as a function of distance and, as a result, the data rate falls back to 5.5, 2, or 1 Mbps, depending on the distance from the Wi-Fi router/hub and the strength of the signal.
The following references provide a general description of digital content providers that allow digital content to be downloaded.
The U.S. patent to Schulhof et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,442), assigned to Information Highway Media Corporation, provides a system for distributing subscription and on-demand audio programming. Disclosed is a system for downloading digital audio data onto a portable audio storage medium and listening to it at a desired time. The portable audio storage medium is capable of high-speed data transfer that can be downloaded from such systems as a television cable system, satellite, or fiber optic telephone link.
The published U.S. patent application to Tsukamoto (2001/0013120A1), assigned to NEC Corporation, provides for a digital content rental system. Disclosed is a process that consists of a customer visiting the store with a portable storage unit, such as a magnetic disk. The user may then choose from a plurality of digital content and download desired content onto his/her storage medium.
The published U.S. patent application to Ekkel (2001/0037360A1), assigned to Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., provides for a data service at a transit terminal. Disclosed is a system that provides information content to a user at a repository. While a consumer is traveling, a data service offers information availability that can be downloaded by the user to a storage device to be viewed offline. Using a mobile storage medium, such as a memory card or a magnetic disk, the individual may use the highly customizable service to download electronic information content from a host repository or server.
The published U.S. patent application to Sibley (2001/0039662A1), assigned to Hughes Electronics Corporation, provides for a digital over-the-air communication system for use with a digital terrestrial broadcasting system. Disclosed is a system for distributing electrical content using digital over-the-air communication. The process consists of a network operation center uplinking electronic content packages to a satellite, a broadcast center receiving the electronic content from the satellite, and a user device receiving the digital content via a digital channel generated by the broadcast center.
The published U.S. patent application to Ramachandran et al. (2001/0044747A1), assigned to Diebold, Incorporated, provides a system and method for dispensing digital information from an automated transaction machine. Disclosed is a service that offers digital content information to a user through an automated transaction machine.
Whatever the precise merits, features, and advantages of the above-cited references, none of them achieve or fulfill the benefits of the present invention.